TREASURES FROM WATER
While growing up, I was made aware of a famous Bengali proverb describing Bengal as a land where there is always rice in the house and fish in the pond. This saying has lasted with time, more so when it comes to fish. The sight of a shining, silvery Hilsa is a treat to every Bengali eye. Added to it is the abundance of saltwater fish from the Bay of Bengal. I have a pond in my garden house. I am growing popular Bengali varieties of fish. Nothing can give me bigger pleasure than cooking with fresh fish from my own pond.
CHAR GRILLED MOUROLA FISH
বাঁশের ভিতরর মমলালা মাছ রান্না
“ A very popular dish of the Rangamati district of Bangladesh—with my twist!”
SERVES
4
PREPARATION
15Mins
COOKING
10-15 Mins
500 g mourola fish
1 teaspoon dry shrimp meat (page 354)
1 cup shallot, thinly sliced
¼ cup garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dry chilli powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
5-6 red birds’ eye chillies, halved
2 tablespoons oil
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
¼ cup tomato, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons raw mangoes, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon coriander leaves, chopped
12-inch-long bamboo and banana leaves
৫০০ মমলালা fish
১ চা চামচ শুকনো চিংড়ির মাংস (পেজ ৩৫৪)
1 cup পেঁয়াজ, thinly sliced
¼ cup garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dry chili গুঁড়া
½ চা চামচ হলুদ গুঁড়া
½ teaspoon coriander powder
৫-৬ টি লাল বার্ডস আই চিলি, চিরে নেওয়া
২ টেবিল চামচ তেল
1¼ চা চামচ salt
¼ কাপপ টমেটো, thinly sliced sliced
২ টেবিল চামচ raw আম, পাতলা করে কাটা
১ টেবিল চামচ ধনেপাতা, কুচি
১২-ইঞ্চি লম্বা বাঁশ এবং কলা পাপাপাতা
DETAILS :
CLEAN, wash, and drain the fish. Make a fine powder with dry shrimp meat.
IN a bowl, mix the fish and the shrimp meat powder with all the ingredients from shallot to raw mangoes. Do not add water.
STUFF the fish mixture in the bamboo and close the opening with banana leaves. Cook in a char griller for 10 minutes.
WITH a sharp knife, tap the bamboo at the opening to split it and carefully arrange the cooked fish on one of the half parts of the bamboo. Garnish with mango, coriander leaves, and red bird’s eye chillies. Serve hot with steamed rice.
